Shabbat Shalom ~ Terumot 2023

Shalom WJC Family,

Just a short note this week (though I hope you’ll click on the video link for a Torah drash on this week’s parsha, Terumah). I did want to write to make you aware of our latest innovation – Fleishig (meat) Kiddush Lunch. That’s right, this week for the first time (hopefully of many) the standard Kiddish lunch will be from the meat kitchen, featuring Patty’s extraordinary cooking! For those of you vegetarians out there, don’t worry – we fully respect your choices and will have veggie (and fish) options. I hope you will be joining us and look forward to davening and fressing (praying and eating) with you!

March is almost upon us and there are quite a few wonderful programs and events coming to WJC. First of all, we have an amazing Purim line up, including our annual Purim Carnival on Sunday – March 5th at 3pm, our Megillah Reading and Wine Tasting on Monday evening – March 6th (with a special Teen program preceding it) and the triumphant return of the WJC Purim Shpiel on Sunday evening March 12th! You know what the ancient rabbis said: “If you have schpieled at a WJC schpiel, you have never schpiel at all!” I would make attending a priority – Tami and I are looking forward to making fools out of ourselves in front of you (well, me anyway, that Tami is good!)

We also have our annual Rhythm & Ruach Moth Story Hour event on Friday March 3rd featuring stories from Jack Steinberg, Mark Russ, Arlene Wexler, Frieda Kraft, Pam Mizrachi and yours truly.

Last, but not at all least, I want to highlight a program about Mental Health we are presenting in conjunction with several local houses of worship. The next in a series of presentations called Psychology for Everyday Life: What’s Wrong with Being Anxious? will meet here at WJC on March 8th at 7pm. If you are concerned about the mental health crisis in our communities today, (and I think we all ought to be concerned about it) or perhaps about yourself or a loved one in particular, please join us and the experts at Larchmont Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center for an important, informative and useful conversation. It does not matter if you came to the first two events, each talk stands alone and is worthwhile. To learn more about the evening please click here and if you have concerns about a particular person, please know my door is always open if you would like to speak with someone.

In the meantime, we are looking forward to a beautiful Shabbat this Friday night and Saturday – I will be speaking at all services, Friday evening, Saturday morning and teaching Saturday afternoon – it is just the way our schedule worked out. So, I hope to see you there to pray, learn and shmooze with us!

See you in shul,